A few petitions for you to sign (and help change the world!)

[source: Petition to Microsoft]

For the purpose of meeting today’s slacktivism quota, here are four petitions that I command you to sign. Yes, command, or else nothing gets done, dangit!

01: Save Girls from Female Genital Cutting

Sponsor: CARE
Goal: To demand that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton do all she can to urge countries practicing FGM to stop this vile practice.
Signatures: 21,860/25,000

Anywhere from “100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide” have had their genitals mutilated as a result of monstrous cultural practices rooted in misogynistic patriarchies, with millions more suffering through this ordeal every year. But you don’t need me to tell you about the inhumanity of such acts – you’re already well aware of it and have already opened the petition to sign it, haven’t you?

02: Tell the Senate: Keep Reducing Our Nuclear Arsenal

Sponsor: Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Goal: Demand that U.S. senators ratify the new START treaty
Signatures: 6,647/7,500

Because the world could always use less weapons of mass destruction. (For U.S. residents only.)

03: Hey Glenn Beck: Stop Spreading Lies About Global Warming

Sponsor: League of Conservation Voters
Goal: Tell Glenn Beck to stop lying about Global Warming and clean energy
Signatures: 23,886/25,000

Because the world could always use less of Glenn Beck and his bullshit. Go forth and flood his inbox.

04: Demand Ball Memorial Hospital Stop Discriminating Against LGBT Patients

Sponsor: Jordan Rubenstein
Goal: Demand that Ball Memorial Hospital (Muncie, IN) stop discriminating against LGBT patients
Signatures: 4,100/5,000

Last 18 of July, transgender woman Erin Vaught sought care at the E.R. of Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana, as she was coughing up blood – generally not a good indicator of health. Instead, she was mocked and insulted because of her gender and eventually left without having seen a doctor. Jen McCreight at Blag Hag has more details. This sort of blatant discrimination is outrageous and unacceptable, so please help in sending 5,000 disapproving signatures to hospital administrators.

Now go! Fly, my winged lemur monkeys of signatory doom, and tell the people to stop doing bad or stupid things! (Hey, that’s as good an encouragement as any.)

P.S. – As I write this, I’ve just received my copy of Richard Dawkins’s The Greatest Show on Earth. Three notes: A) It’s got a really gorgeous cover. B) I can’t wait to read it. Thus, C) Expect some moderately reduced blogging for a while for the aforementioned reason.

Tags: petitions • CARE • FGM • female genital mutilation • • U.S. Senate • Nuclear Age Peace Foundation • WMDs • nuclear arms • nuclear weapons • START treaty • Glenn Beck • Global Warming • Ball Memorial Hospital • LGBT discrimination • transgender